Here’s some thoughts after watching the Jets 35-24 loss to the Giants last night in the Snoopy Bowl.

Good on you, Geno — I really thought Geno did a good job showing mastery of his offense. There’s so much improvement here compared to a year ago. Part of it is his knowledge of what is required, part of it is his anticipation of what he needs to do on a given play to make a smart and safe play and part of it is the increased talent of the supporting cast around him. But to see him have completed five passes to five different receivers at one point in the early going was a sign of good things for me. Geno knows that someone is going to be open and seems less locked in on targets and/or hesitant than he was a year ago. That’s a good sign for a young quarterback.

Sagging Secondary — I have no idea what is going on in the secondary, but so far it seems to be snake-bitten from an injury and order perspective. Between the injuries to the top guys like Dee Milliner (ankle) Calvin Pryor (concussion), Dimitri Patterson (pick a body part) and now Antonio Allen (head), the group can’t seem to stay on the field together. Add in the season-ending injury to promising rookie Dexter McDougle and the group is much more flimsy than I had anticipated this season. Also, they seem to be all over the road on who they like at their backup corner spot and the Anotnio Allen Experiment seems to be a pretty strong indication of just how the Jets feel about their depth right now. While I can see the effort and attempt at execution from Johnny Patrick, Brandon Dixon’s extended playing time confuses me. Is there hope? There is for me for two reasons. First, as the defensive line showed last night, the secondary is going to get a lot of help up front. Second, if the Jets can get Pryor and Milliner on the field at the same time, I think they will be able to cover a multitude of other sins. Pryor is already back and looking great. Dee Milliner looked good in his time against the Colts. Speaking of Milliner, I saw him enthusiastically encouraging his teammates from the sidelines, but I don’t recall seeing Dimitri Patterson once during the game … what gives? Expect the Jets to be busy when it comes to team transactions at cutdowns when it comes to their secondary.

Running Got Game – Last night was probably the best approximation of what we could see from the Jets running game this season. Chris Johnson was streaking down the sidelines. Ivory earned some tough yards and even had an impressive catch and run. Bilal Powell looked like the perfect utility back. The Jets might not be the 2009 incarnation when it comes to how much they run the ball, but there is a confidence that this team can run the ball to take pressure off their quarterback, which will propel the offense forward. I don’t think this offense will contend with the Saints for a spot as the league’s best, but I do think that a lot of little things changing this season for this offense could push them much further forward than many national pundits expect.

Get Nasty – There’s a bad-boy streak that this team has, specifically on offense that I can’t remember seeing from a Jets offense in some time. There is a concern that maybe it is false bravado, but I don’t see it that way. I think the influx of talent has engendered a certain grit to this group. I love the nastiness that the group seems to play with and I think it will serve the team well as they enter the regular season with aggression instead of caution.

Top of the Hill? — Where does this team go with Stephen Hill? It’s hard to say, but other than some chippiness after the play I’ve not seen much from him this preseason, he’s not stood out to me. Some have questioned whether his roster spot might be in jeopardy during cutdowns. I understand the argument, but has a player like Greg Salas done enough to convince the front office that squeezing Hill off the roster is worth the effort? We’ll see where the Jets go from here, but I’ve never questioned Hill’s status with the team more than I do after his underwhelming preseason.

My Coples Runneth Over — Quinton Coples had a standout performance after getting just a few reps a week ago. A lot has been written about Coples and whether he can make the leap this year. I can’t predict if he will hit double-digit sacks in 2014, but I do know that he’ll be a key contributing factor to the success of this defense whether it shows up on the stat sheet or not. Last night proved as much.

Backup Backers – The Jets first team defense looks great, but it was good to see some of the backups standing out. Nick Bellore’s tackle for loss was particularly noteworthy. As was Jason Babin’s ability to harry the passer and force a fumble last night. Trevor Reilly might have stood out for an offsides penalty last night, but I get the sense that the Jets defense was testing their snap count anticipation and was given a little free reign on that series. Another similar penalty was called right afterwards.

How small minded to look for blame when so called "accidents" or "Acts of God" are beyond any single person's control, whether GM or waterboy. "Go with the Flow" is a daily lesson for everyone. The Great Ones move on while flushing the past and optimistically facing the future.

Awesome to see Geno play so well - hopefully the idiots questioning Rex and the decision to start Geno over Vick are eating some crow (or just disappear altogether for a while).

don't get me wrong - I LOVE the Vick pickup (almost as much as I LOVE the Chris Johnson pickup) - but at this point in their careers it just makes so much more sense to start Geno, who seems to have picked up right where he left off at the very end of last season, and bring in Vick if necessary.

1) Geno looked confident and in control. Stood tall and delivered the ball with authority while stepping into hits. Took what the defense gave him. Put the ball in places where only the receiver could get it. When a running lane opened up, he took it (while protecting himself).

2) The running game will be effective. Ivory and CJ will break down a defense. The Jets should be able to impose their will in the 2nd half. The key is keeping the game managable in the first half.

Geno looks much improved and that's the most important position that needed improvement for this team to be a contender.

The Team has added some offensive weapons: Decker, CJ, Amaro.

I think Greg Salas should make the team. He looks like the 3rd best WR on the team and I think he should be starting on the outside opposite Decker, with Kerley in the Slot.

WR Ranking: Decker, Kerley, Salas, Nelson, ...? (Gates great catch yesterday, can he do Kickoff returns too? Even though most are Touchbacks), Hill- great straight line speed, but cant separate well, doesn't use his hands to snatch the ball, and doesn't make the tough catch in space; Ford- kickoff return guy, but havent see him do too much with catching the ball, just a couple of catches here and there, Sauders- Maybe medical condition we can put him on IR.

Secondary: I am liking and intrigued by Antonio Allen at CB/Safety. There are some physical WR the Jets will be facing and they can use Allen on them. Hopefully, Allen should be ready for Week 1 and Millner soon after. Walls looks competent and Lankster held his own last week. Did Lankster even play yesterday? Wilson always frustrates me and Patterson cant stay healthy.

@NYCPEinGermany with only Kerley to throw to when he was healthy Geno played well enough to have a .500 season, this year we'll find out if Geno is a franchise QB or just a decent QB a top half QB or a Tavaris Jackson type

They may need Green for the Eagles game, hopefully all 3 'starters' at RB get the day off & avoid injury.

Of the players active yesterday Tajh Boyd, Ras-I Dowling, Steele Divitto, Patrick Ford, Kerry Hyder, Anthony Grady, Will Campbell, Caleb Schlauderaff, Markus Zusevics, Zach Thompson, and Colin Anderson didn't play a single snap. I wonder if they will be the 1st players cut, except Boyd who is likely 'needed' for the Eagles game.

@hazard2012 @Clint Neal just spinning my wheels:GB CB Sam Shieldssure GB just resigned him to a big contract, however maybe GB will be worried about their hole at DT and their 2015 cap. Trading DT Harrison or Ellis (plus a draft pick) might be more than a flight of fancy.maybe more in touch with reality, Jets DT Barnes could be traded for one of GB's cut down CBs.

If you were really hard pressed to get rid of WR Hill, maybe a trade with Seattle for a CB that might be on the bubble. CB Simon(?)

I would mention the Pettine/Browns connection who would know Hill and have CBs that are versed in Rex-style coverages but it would seem that the browns, while needy at WR, are also thin at CB.

@hazard2012@Clint Neal I was reading Champ Bailey could be on the bubble..maybe he would get cut and give us some depth..but I guess we will just have to see who gets cut..I don't really Idzik going for a trade as much as I want it to happen.

Not a big Champ Bailey fan, especially at this late stage in his career. The options will be few and far between, however, and I doubt Idzik will consider a meaningful trade...it would contradict everything he's done/said this off-season. Making a move now would require he admit he was wrong not to get a CB in FAcy.

@hazard2012@Clint Neal I dissagree there. He did get a CB in free agency, so nothing he'd do would require him admitting he was wrong to not, and furthermore there's absolutely no reason to go "A bunch of my Corners are hurt, let's see if we can get another one." Yeah, fans and the media would try to spin it that way, but I don't think Idzik really cares that much.

@hazard2012 Sure maybe possibly we could have signed Revis for 16 million but lets not act like Revis doesnt have an injury history. So how bad would Idzik look if he signed him only to see him injured and on the bench all season.

@rstysanchz I think you misunderstood my first post. Im not confident with Allen playing starting CB. Starting CB means he is on the outside covering either #1 or #2 WR's. Im fine with 3 safety schemes in certain situations. I really like Allen at safety, not sold on him at CB.

We could've had Revis for the same $12M he's getting from NE. We could have had Jones and Verner, or others for even less. Sure, they could get hurt, but at least we'd know they'd have solved the problem if they stayed healthy.

Patterson has a long history of injuries and was never a top CB to begin with....and was never really intended as anymore more than a placeholder until McDougle sprouted wings.

All I'm saying here is that we're justified in second-guessing Idzik on his strategy where CB is concerned.

@hazard2012 I disagree, Idziks plan is sound but you cant plan for four injuries to the CB position. He could of signed four of the FA CB's and they could have all got hurt too. I agree with you that I have concerns at the CB position too but I was feeling much more confident when everyone was healthy.

@levi i understood that after the fact...but i was trying to say its good to have 2 safeties on our team that can do a little of everything that we can put them out in the field as much as possible to help our weak spot of the defense which is cb

A plan is only as good as it allows you to deviate from it. No, you can't plan on specific injuries, but in sports you have to allow for them and hope they're not catastrophic.

The Jets have had the misfortune of seeing most of their injuries come at their weakest position....

...but who is the architect building this team? He could have taken steps to ensure the weakest position in the D was significantly upgraded and improved, but chose not to. He let the top FA and draft class CB's slip through his fingers, and bet the farm on the likes of Patterson, McDougle and Dixon.

@hazard2012 You dont build through free agency. He drafted two CB's and signed a decent FA. We could argue this all day just like people have been arguing about it since Free Agency started but I still believe in his approach to build through the draft and I think McDougal is the real deal, unfortunately he got hurt.